Stock-feeding apparatus



June 24, 1958 J. o. BURMAN STOCK-FEEDING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 6, 1956 IN V EN TOR. o: ep 1 0. Burma:

June 24,1958 J. o. BURMAN 2,840,369

TOCK-FEEDING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 6, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 III me i

l a I 0 IN V EN TOR.

J o s 4 O. B '1 BY June 24, 1958 J. b. BURMAN 2,840,369

STOCK-FEEDING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 6, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 June 24, 1958 J. o. BURMAN STOCK-FEEDING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 6, 1956 INVENTOR. o s/ 4 O. Barman III United States Patent 2,840,369 Patented June 24, g 1 958 ice STQCK-FEEDING APPARATUS Joseph 0. Barman, Attleboro, Mass., assignor to Progressive Machinery Corp., Attleboro, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application February 6, 1956, Serial No. 563,761

' 9 Claims. (Cl. 271-2.4

the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims. 1

the stock 'thereinto by automatic feed means, the feed means being actuated in predetermined manner by the press itself; For example, in a punch press, means consisting of rolls are often used to feed sheet or strip stock between the punch and 'die of the press, the rolls being connected mechanically to the ram of the press (or to the fly-wheel) for actuation thereby in a properly determined sequence with respect to the movements of the ram and punch.

However, it is often found, as to such means, that when the punch engages the sheet material to punch it, a backward buckling of the sheet stock is caused, this backward buckling then causing, upon release when the punch lifts, inaccuracies in feeding and indexing the next measured length of stock.

It is the general object of this invention, therefore, to

provide a feed means for stock in which such buckling is prevented, this being done by instantly disengaging the feed means at the instant the punch engages the stock (or just prior thereto), this disengagement being maintained while the punch completes itspunching operation. About the moment the punch thereafter clears the stock, the feed mechanism again is caused to engage the stock and feed the proper amount of stock into the die. The operation of the feed means both as to feeding and dis engagement of the stock, is controlled in accordance with the operation of the punch itself.

. Accordingly, among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provision of feed means for automaticallyfeeding stock into a press and having means for temporarily releasing the stock while press operations are taking place thereon; the provision of means for feeding stock into a press, which measures as it feeds, and also provides the aforementioned releasing operation; the provision of feed means of the above classes in which the point of feed release is adjustable independently of the adjustment for the amount of stock fed; the provision of feed means of any of the classes aforementioned in which the adjustments for release and for feed may be quickly and accurately made; the provision of feed means of the aforementioned classes which is readily adaptable for use on nearly all kinds of presses; and the provision, of feed means of the above classes which may be easily disassembled and put together for cleaning and repair, and which are economical to make and to maintain.

Other objects and advantages will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

I Theinvention accordingly comprises the elements and combinations of elements, features of construction and manipulation, and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the structure hereinafter described, and

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one embodiment of the invention:

"Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional press bed and die subassembly showing an embodiment of the invention mounted thereon;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the embodiment, partly in section to show the construction of certain parts more clearly;

Fig. 3 is a sectional side view of the embodiment, taken in the direction of sight lines 3-3 on Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional side view taken in the direction of sight lines 44 on Fig. 2;

. Fig. 5 is an enlarged portion of the embodiment, given. to show a constructional detail more clearly and taken.

in the direction of sight lines 5--5 on Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a bearing; and

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of a portion of the embodi ment, taken in the direction of sight lines 7'-7 on Fig. 2..

Throughout the drawings, similar reference characters.

indicate corresponding parts.

Referring now to Fig. 1, there is shown in .perspective a portion of a press with the feed machine of this inven-- tion mounted thereon. conventional type, only the bed 2 thereof is shown, the rest of the press being omitted, since it is conventionah and of full. knowledge to those skilled in the art. Mounted on the bed is the sub-assembly of die blocks 4- and 6, these also being of conventional and well-known structure. A strip of stock 8 is shown emerging from the said sub-assembly, with the holes 10 punched therein by the reciprocatory' motion of the punch of block 4, the stock 8 being shown entering the said sub-assembly through the feed mechanism. (indicated generally by numeral 12) which is the subject of this invention.

Referring now specifically to feed mechanism 12, it is fastened (as by bolts) to the edge of bed 2 by means of the upright apron 14, apron 14 being part of the basic supporting member for the working parts of the device.

To this end, there are attached to, or formed integrally' with (as by casting) the apron 14, the upright guide members or standards 16, 18 and 20, standard 16 :being suitably bored to provide bearings for the ends of shafts 22 and 24. Standards 18 and 28 together with the top bar 26 form an open frame to receive the feed rolls 28 and 30, as well as other components. Preferably, the entire structure comprising the apron 14, the standards 16 and 18, and the top bar 26 are cast as a whole, but other means of construction may be utilized, if desired.

Each of standards 18 and 20 is relieved, as at 32, to provide guide channels 34 and 36 for bearing blocks 38, 40, 42, and 44. The bars 46 and 48 are fastened at the ends thereof by means of bolts 58 to the tops and bottoms of standards 18 and 20 to hold said bearing blocks in place.

channels 56 and thus hold the bearings in place, each.

bearing thus being detachably held in the uprights. I

Feed roll 28 is provided with the extending shafts 22 and 58, said shafts fitting (with a bearing fit) the respective cylindrical bearing blocks 38 and 40. Shaft 22 extends outwardly far enough to enter the bearing hole- 60 which, as previously described, is suitably provided in standard 16. Shaft 58 extends far enough outwardlyv Of the press, which may be of 58 by means of spline74. A clamping bolt .is pro-i vided with compression spring 76 in order to adjust the amount of friction against the hub '72 exerted by ring 66, and hence the degree of, resistance .of roll 28 to turning. 7

On shafts 22 and 58 are mounted the gear 78 and pinion 80, gear 78 being keyed (as by a spline), to shaft 58. 'Pinio'n 80 rotates, freely on shaft 28, but is connected to the shell or driving-member 82 of a conventional one way? slip-clutch indicated generally by numeral 84. The hub 86 of the clutch is rotated in only one direction by shell or driving-member82, and is keyed to shaft 22 by any. means, such as the'spline and'key structure 88. Thus rotation of pinion 80 in' one direction will cause the roll 28 to rotate in the same direction, but rotation ofpiniorr 80 in the opposite direction will not rotate roll 28. As drawn in Fig. 4, rotation of pinion 80 counter-clockwise will rotate roll 28 the same way. Rotation of pinion 80 clockwise will not cause roll 28 to rotate.

It is tobe noted that by the engagementsof shafts 22 and 58 respectivelyin bearing hole 60 and clutch 64, roll 2'8'is anchored, together with its bearing blocks 38 and 40 securely at the bottom of the frame provided by the standards 18 and 20, and top bar 26.

The other feed ro'll 30is also provided with shafts 90.

and 92 at each end thereof. Shaft'90 rotatably fits bearing block 42, and shaft 92 rotatably fits block 44 and extends to the right thereof (as drawn in Fig. 2 to receive thereon the gear94which is keyed to shaft 92 in conventional manner as by key 96. Gear 94 engages gear 78 and is driven thereby. Thus intermittent motion of roll 28 (as described above) .will drive roll 30 to the same extent by means of gears 78 and 94. i i i It is to be noted,at this. point, that roll 30 is free to move up and down because of the slidability of blocks 42 and 44 in the standards 18 and 20. The extent of the permissible motion'is determined by the engagement of the teeth. of the respective gears 78 and 94.v

1 Top bar 26 is bored longitudinally to receive rotatably the cam-shaft which projects outwardly as shown from each end of the top bar. At one end of cam-shaft 100 is the quick-release handleor trip-lever 102 which is fastened to-shaft 100 by conventional means and is thereby adapted to turn the shaftby manual actuation of the lever. On the other end of shaft 100 is mountedthe sleeve 104 and the toothed ratchet-gear or pinion 106. Sleeve 104 is rotatable on shaft 100, but pinion 106 is attached to the shaft in conventional manner, as by the pin 108. The end of shaft 100 is rotatably received in the bearing hole 110 suitably provided in standard 16.

, Mounted rotatably on sleeve 104 is the gear or ratchetsegment 112 and the pawl-bearing adjusting lever 114, this lever carrying on its face the adjustable pawl 116, which is held thereto by the bolt 118. This same face of lever 114 bears against the face of pinion 106, and pawl 116 is positioned to engage the teeth of the pinion to lock the pinion and lever together against rotation one with respect to the other.

A'spacing washer 120 is provided to give a nice fit ofthese several parts between the ends of standard 16 and top bar 26.

124 is slidable up and down in the said channels, and its ends bear on the bearing blocks 42 and 44 to exert a force thereon and thus force roll 30 toward roll 28. Bar 124 is formed with an upwardly extending bracket or lift means 126 attached thereto, either integrally or separately, said bracket having an arm 128 extending over the top-bar 26'at about the center thereof and in line with flat 122. Ann 128 has a threaded hole 130 therein vertically in alignment with'flat I22, and hole 130 receives therein a threaded stud 132. Shaft 132 terminates in a reduced end section as shown, and this engages an enlarged plug 134 which slidably fits a hole 136 provided in top-bar 26 and intersecting the bearing hole of shaft 100. The lower face 136 of plug 134 is chamfered as shown at 133, and engages the fiat 122 on shaft 100. Because of this engagement, turning of shaft 100 serves to lift upwardly the stud 132, which in turn (by means I of bracket 126) lifts pressure-bar 124 away from roll 30, and thus permits roll 30 to move away from roll 28. Fig. 5 illustrates cam-shaft 100 being turned slightly to cause the aforesaid upward motion. A lock-nut 140 serves to hold stud 132 in adjusted position in hole 130.

Top bar 26 is suitably bored to provide four holes extending vertically therethrough which receive four thrustpins 142, 143, 144, and 146, these being symmetrically located with two on one side of shaft 100, and two on the other. Located in the top bar 26 between each pair of thrust pins are the threaded holes 148 and 150 into which are screwed, respectively, the guide rods 152 and 154. Guide rod 152 is thus between pins 142 and 143, and guide rod 154 is between pins 144 and 146. The guide rods are threaded for at least a portion of their lengths, which threaded portions receive the threaded adjusting knobs 156 and 158. Collars 160 and 162 slide on guide-rods 152 and 154 and each bears against the ends of the respective thrust pins associated numerals 168 and 170' to receive these ends.

By this construction, therefore, the force tending to bias roll 30 toward roll 28 may be adjusted by means of the knobs 156 and 158, and this force may be counteracted by turning cam-shaft 100 to lift stud 132 and thus the presser-bar.

The end 172 of lever 114 is provided with the adjustable stop-screw 174 which is locked in place by conventional means, as by lock-nut 176. End 172 is angled so that adjustable stop-screw 174 is brought into the line of travel of the end 178 of ratchet-segment 112, and will be struck thereby at one end of the ratchets travel; At the other end 180 of the ratchet-segment there is provided a conventional pivoted connection 182 for the thrust-rod 184, which is adapted to be connected to a portion of the press which will impart reciprocatory up-and-down motion to thebar, and thus swing the ratchet-segment back and forth about shaft 100. (The aforesaid connection is not described in detail, since it should follow commonly accepted practices, for example, by being attached to the main press shaft by eccentric sleeve-and-follower, or by eccentric cam, or it may be actuated by the motion of the press ram.)

A cover 186 may be provided, if desired, for the gears which are on the hand-wheel 62 side of the machine.

Operation I The operation of the invention will now be described: The sheet stock is introduced between the feed rolls 28 and 30 by turning the rolls by means of the hand wheel in'su'ch direction as to draw the end of the sheet stock between the. rolls. It will be observed that the to be thus turned without the pinion 80 (and hence without the ratchet-segment 112 being actuated). If desired,

- material 8 may be introduced between the rolls, by removing the pressure on roll 30 by rotation of the triplever 102 in such direction as to rotate shaft 100 and thus cause stud 132 to lift presser-bar 124.

By either method, stock 8 is brought between the rolls 28 and 30, and between the upper and lower die blocks. Die block 4 is brought downward until the punch thereof is about to strike the sheet stock 8. The block is then moved by turning the press-fiy-wheel by which, for example, is actuated the thrust rod 184. The latter in turn actuates the ratchet-segment 112 to turn pinion 80 and thus, rolls 28 and 30. During this motion of the die-block downward and the ratchet-segment about shaft 100, the pawl 116 has been manually lifted out of engagement with the pinion 106"so that the adjusting lever 114 is free to rotate'about shaft 100, with the end of stop-screw 174 resting against end 178 of the ratchetsegment. At the aforesaid point where the punch of the top die block is about to strike the stock 8, the pawl 116 is set to engage the pinion 106 and is locked in place by means of bolt 118. This gives a coarse adjustment of the angular position of the ratchet-segment with respect to pinion 106 and thus shaft 100. A fine adjustment is provided by means of the stop-screw 174 which is now adjusted so that a continued further downward motion of the punch of die-block 4 will cause thrust rod 184 to move ratchet-segment 112 and thus lever 114, pinion 106 and shaft 100 just enough so that when the aforesaid punch has met the stock with sufiicient pressure to hold it without slipping, the shaft 100 has been turned enough to lift presser-bar 124 and relieve the pressure on roll 30..

This means that the rolls 28 and 30 no longer grip the stock 8, or grip it with a minimum of force. When the punch now enters the stock, any backward or forward motion of the stock 8 due to the action of punching can take place without the restraint of the rolls 28 and 30.

After the punching action, the press withdraws the punch, and in so doing lifts thrust-rod 184 upward. This rotates the ratchet-segment 112 counter-clockwise (as drawn in Fig. 4), and the latter therefore releases the lever 114 and shaft 100 to enable presser-bar 124 to force roll 30 again in engagement with the stock 8. However, due to the release action of clutch 82, the roll 28 does not turn with this counter-clockwise motion of the ratchet-segment.

When the upper die-block is again moved downward, as first described, the clockwise motion of the ratchet segment now turns the rolls 28 and 30 (via clutch 84) to advance the stock into the die-blocks for the next punching action, the roll pressure (and thus stock-feed) being released at the proper moment, as aforesaid, by means of the end 178 striking and moving lever 114 to turn shaft 100.

Thus it is seen that means are provided whereby the forces gripping the stock are released automatically at the point of the punch operation where it is desired to release the stock to accommodate any backward motion thereof. Thus buckling of the stock is avoided, and more accurate feed and indexing thereof are accomplished.

It is also to be noticed that the roll pressure can at any time be manually released by means of the triplever 102; and stock can be independently fed into the press at any time by means of the hand-wheel 62. Ad justments are quickly and easily made.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results obtained.

As many changes could be made in the above embodiment without departing from the scope of the in- 6 I vention, it isintended that all matter contained; in" the above description shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

- 1; Apparatus for feeding stock into a press, comprising a base; standards mounted onsaid' base; apair of rolls mounted inbearings in said standards, the bearings; of one roll being fixed in said-standards and the bearings of the other roll being movable in said standards to enable said. other roll .to be moved toward and away from said one roll, the axes of said rolls lying in a common plane; a clutch mounted on said one roll and adapted to turn the'lat ter in one direction but 'not the other; agear attached to 'said clutch for turning the latter and thus' said one roll; a reciprocablerack engaging said gear and by its motion adapted to rotate=said gear in opposite directions; pressure means biasing said other roll into engagement with stock between said rolls; and means actuated by said rack periodically to relieve the engagement of said stock by said other roll whereby said stock is enabled-to move in a direction opposite' to that imposed by said rolls. 1 I i? 2. Apparatus for feeding stock into a press, comprising abas'e; standards'mounted on said base; a top-bar connecting the tops of said standards; a pair of rolls mounted on hearings in said standards, the bearings of one roll being relatively fixed in said standards and the bearings of the other roll being movable in said standards to enable said other roll to be moved toward and away from said one roll, the axes of said rolls lying in a common plane; a one-way slip-clutch mounted on the hearing shaft of said one roll, rotation of the driving member of said clutch being adapted to rotate saidone roll in one direction to feed stock into the press and to free said roll for free rotation in the opposite direction; a pinion rotatably mounted on said shaft and attached to said driving member to rotate the latter and thus said one roll; a cam shaft rotatably supported in said top bar and having its the plane of the axes of said rolls, said shaft having a cam surface thereon; pressure means biasing said other roll toward said one roll; means connecting said cam surface with said pressure means whereby rotation of said shaft causes said cam surface to counteract the bias of said pressure means; a ratchet-segment rotatably mounted on said shaft and engaging said pinion to rotate the latter; a second pinion mounted on said cam shaft and fixed thereto; a triplever rotatably mounted on said second shaft and having a portion thereof adapted to be engaged by said ratchetsegment for a portion of the latters motion; a pawl carried by said trip-lever and engaging said second pinion; and adjustable means on said trip-lever whereby the motion of said trip-lever by said ratchet-segment may be varied.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the shafts of each of said rolls carries a gear which meshes with the gear of the other roll, whereby rotation of said one roll also rotates the said other roll.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said adjustable means comprises a screw on the end of said lever adjustable with respect thereto, to vary the point at which said ratchet-segment first moves said lever during a cycle of said apparatus. 7

5. The apparatus of claim 2 in which said pressure means comprises a presser-bar slidable in said standards and having its ends bear against the movable bearings of said other roll, at least two pins slidable in said top bar with two of their ends pressing said presser-bar toward said one roll, and their other ends extending above said top bar; adjustable spring-driven means biasing said pins toward said presser-bar; lift means attached to said presser-bar and extending over said top-bar and said cam-shaft; and means slidable in said top-bar and supporting said presser-bar, said means engaging said camascommon zplane; ireciprocableameans connected to at least oneof said rollsfor rotating .the latter. intermittently; pressure meansibiasingsaid. otherz-foll toward said. one rollycam means actuated bysaidreeiprocable means periodically to counteractthelsaid bias' of said pressure means whereby .stock .between said. rolls is enabled to 1=move in a direction Oppositeto thatimposed by said rolls, said barn means; comprising a shaft :rotatably mounted in said standards and having its axis lying in the plane contain ing the axes: at said :rolls; a 1 cam surface being provided on. said shaft and rotatable therewith, said cam surface beingfconnected to said;pressure' means whereby rotation of said shaft moves the pressure. means against its bias';-,--and,a lever connected. tqsaid shaft and positioned twbeabtuated during' a portion ofthe motion of said reciprocable means, 5 1

'7. The. apparatus of claim 'in which said reciprocable means'comprises' apinionattached to said one roll and'adapted to rotate the latt'er; and a reciprocable rack engaging said pinionforr'otation thereof. I

8. The apparatus ofclziim-fi in which said pressure means comprisesiapresser-bar and 'at least 'one spring bearing thereagainst; said pressure bar engaging by its ends the movable bearings of said otherroll, andrsaid spring biasing said pressure bar and thus said other roll toward said one roll. 5

9. The apparatusrof claim .6 in which said pressure means comprises a presser-bar slidable in said standards and having its ends bearagainst the movable bearings of said other roll, adjustable spring means pressing said bar and thus said other roll toward said one roll, and lift meansatt'ached to said bar and actuated by said cam means to lift said bar away from said one roll.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,851,753 Crane Mar. 29, 1932 1,947,015 Littell Feb. 13, 1934 

